Latest news with #HexagonCup
Forbes
08-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Pro Padel Raises $10 Million, Pushing Sport To New Heights In U.S.
Pro Padel League is North America's premier padel competition, with teams in major markets in the ... More U.S. Canada, and Mexico. First Mexico, then Spain and Argentina, and now the United States. Padel continues to capture market after market around the globe as it grows in popularity. In North America, Pro Padel League (PPL), the continent's professional competition, recently capitalized on a successful second season by securing $10 million in seed funding from Left Lane Capital, Kactus Capital, Gary Vaynerchuk, and other investors. The ten-team upstart league boasts some of the best players in the world, including women's world number one player Ariana Sanchez Fallada and men's world number three player Federico Chingotto. It is also backed by celebrities like Daddy Yankee, Ella Emhoff, and Andrew Schultz. In just two years, PPL has established a strong foundation across the continent with clubs from Cancun to Toronto, and in most of the major U.S. markets, including L.A., Las Vegas, New York, Miami, and Houston. The league's first-ever institutional investment will help it professionalize its operations and guide it toward the heights of the other major sporting leagues in North America. The funds are expected to be put toward hiring a commissioner, a CRO, a CFO, and establishing a permanent headquarters. Harley Miller, CEO of Left Lane Capital said 'Having seen the explosion of padel globally, we recognized a chance to partner early with PPL to own the market for one of the fastest-growing emerging sports." He added that "PPL's differentiated team-based format allows fans and players to rally behind city-based teams in North America, featuring world-class talent. This is one of the many reasons we're excited to support PPL's growth as they build a new era for Padel.' Mike Dorfman, CEO of PPL, says the recent investment will 'further accelerate' the explosive rise of the fastest-growing sport in America. Speaking to me ahead of the investment announcement, Dorfman admitted he got into Padel after the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many people, Dorfman was looking for a way to stay active and socialize while maintaining a safe distance. In New York, it was impossible to play tennis, but Padel was the perfect solution for the former tennis player. At Padel Haus, Brooklyn's most well-known club, Dorfman fell in love with Padel, so much so that he exited the tech company he founded and became CEO of the nascent Padel league. Now guiding PPL, Dorfman is looking to grow the league into a highly professional and exhilarating spectator sport. Despite obvious competition from North America's traditional sports, and other Padel competitions like Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup, Dorfman strongly believes the U.S. market is open for business. In fact, he thinks 'the potential is unlimited in the States.' With the major markets already in play, Dorfman is looking to secondary and tertiary cities that are opening their first Padel clubs. While the expansion of Padel in the U.S. is almost a guarantee — the United States Padel Association estimates the country will have 15 million active players and 20,000 courts in five years — exactly where the league establishes new teams is a different story. Dorfman says that will depend on which markets mature the quickest. Padel's appeal goes beyond the competitive element. It is a social sport, played in pairs, that allows people of all walks of life to meet each other, socialize, and break a sweat. It is more dynamic than pickleball, but just as easy to play without any experience. It is also a cultural force that continues to draw in celebrity investors from the entertainment industry and other major sports like soccer and F1. Padel's cultural appeal is one of the reasons Jolene Delisle agreed to work with PPL. Delisle is the founder and creative director of the creative agency The Working Assembly. Her team was charged with designing the PPL brand. However, to them it was about more than just developing a brand, 'it was about helping build a community around it,' and crafting the sport's identity in the U.S. The challenge was establishing PPL's American identity while honoring the game's global roots. Delisle says the bold typography and dynamic color palette symbolize the sport's speed, sharp angles, and fluid movement. They created an instantly recognizable brand that feels bold, energetic, and inclusive. Despite its sleek branding and recent cash injection, PPL remains a challenger league in a market full of sharks. To become a top-tier spectator sport in the U.S. Padel needs to create development pathways for kids. According to Dorfman, this requires infrastructure and school programs. Creating more courts and clubs, and offering children the chance to begin playing in school and continue playing through college will guarantee that North American children are well-educated in Padel. Moreover, new investment will increase the probability of homegrown stars. Delisle is convinced that Padel will become a premier sport and brand. She says it 'has everything going for it—it's fast, social, and incredibly fun to play and watch.' However, to elevate to the next level, in her eyes, it needs to become 'an experience.' She says if PPL and the wider Padel ecosystem get the storytelling right, Padel can transform from a global sport into a lifestyle movement. For now, PPL will settle for expanding to new cities and establishing a new HQ. Dorfman says the 2025 season will go ahead with the same ten teams, but the league is looking to expand to twelve teams ahead of 2026. New franchises were sold for $200,000 in 2024, but as the sport's popularity continues to skyrocket, potential investors can expect that number to increase exponentially. In 2025, fans can expect a highly consumable and digital product. PPL will continue using the AI camera it piloted last season to create player heatmaps. It will also place additional microphones and cameras around the courts to help deliver more sounds and viewing angles. Dorfman is particularly excited about PPL's attempts to merge sports with arts and culture. Live events, food experiences, and uniquely designed uniforms and paddles are all in store for the 2025 Pro Padel League season. Fans in North America can enjoy all the action on over 16 different broadcasters that make the sport accessible to over 300 million households.
Zawya
18-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup form major strategic partnership supporting International Padel Federation drive padel growth globally
Partnership brings together one of the world's most innovative and ambitious groups in sport – Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) – with Hexagon Cup, the ground-breaking padel competition and entertainment event. Further expansion of the Hexagon Cup is anticipated, including official tournament recognition by the International Padel Federation (FIP). Parties to deliver first-ever FIP Intercontinental Cup in summer 2025, with details to be announced soon. Wider collaborations planned to support FIP in developing men's, women's and youth padel – and brand awareness – globally through QSI and Hexagon Cup connections in football, motorsports and entertainment, supporting FIP's Olympic pathway project. Madrid, Doha, Lausanne – Three of the foremost and pioneering institutions in padel – Premier Padel (the world's leading professional padel tour, majority-owned by Qatar Sports Investments); Hexagon Cup (the ground-breaking team franchise padel competition and entertainment event, launched and inspired by a group of people that founded Formula E, and operated and managed by an elite group of padel and sports industry professionals), and the International Padel Federation (the governing body of padel worldwide and overseeing nearly 100 national federations globally), have announced a strategic partnership aimed at super-charging the growth of padel worldwide. The strategic partnership will encompass a range of collaborations, initiatives and projects, drawing on the experience, networks and connections of all groups to drive the development of padel globally. In the immediate term, Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup will promote each others' existing events, while Hexagon Cup has already started the process of becoming a recognised FIP tournament. In addition, the parties will explore a further expansion of the Hexagon Cup circuit – which currently comprises one single tournament in Madrid – in new and emerging padel territories worldwide. A second immediate project is the delivery of the first-ever FIP Intercontinental Cup, taking place in Europe this summer, where the Hexagon Cup team has been appointed by FIP to be a partner of the event. The tournament, which will also be supported by Premier Padel, will see further details – including date, venue and name of the tournament – in the coming months. At the highest level, Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup will merge their strong foundations in the world of sports and entertainment to work on a range of initiatives aimed at launching new tournament concepts, brands and ideas (including at potential motorsport and football events), all geared towards raising awareness of the sport, engaging new audiences and markets, and ultimately supporting FIP's Olympic pathway for padel. Luigi Carraro, President of the International Padel Federation (FIP) said: "This strategic partnership between Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup is an important milestone for the development of professional and amateur padel – bringing together institutions that support the whole ecosystem of the sport and who focus on the collective interests. The International Padel Federation looks forward to working with both Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup to enhance opportunities for women's, men's and youth players worldwide and supporting our Olympic ambitions in the coming years.' Enrique Buenaventura, Founder of Hexagon Cup, added: 'We want to take padel to a new level internationally and this is why we are so excited about this alliance with Premier Padel. Together, with the support of FIP, we have the shared goal of globalising the sport and achieving its Olympic inclusion at the earliest opportunity. In three years, Premier Padel has elevated the sport worldwide – a remarkable achievement built on dedication and excellence. We are very proud to have recently delivered a successful second edition of the Hexagon Cup – and through this partnership, we will work together to expand the sport by organising events in key territories where the fan base is growing and accelerating its development.' David Sugden, CEO, Premier Padel commented: 'We are delighted to become partners with Hexagon Cup – an organisation that shares our values, together with our commitment to excellence and innovation across sport and entertainment. Our collective mission is to support the International Padel Federation elevate the sport on a global scale, and our world-class teams will work on a range of creative collaborations, initiatives and projects for the benefit all players, fans, and the whole padel ecosystem to support the sport's continued growth.' About Premier Padel Premier Padel is the leading official professional padel tour worldwide, founded by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) together with the International Padel Federation (FIP) and the Professional Padel Association (PPA). Launched in 2022, backed by the Professional Padel Association (PPA), over 500 players from around the world competed in Premier Padel tournaments in its first year and played in some of the most iconic venues in sports history, including at Stade Roland-Garros in Paris. Over 110 leading professional female players joined Premier Padel in March 2023 through the International Padel Players Association (IPPA). In August 2023, it was announced that QSI would acquire World Padel Tour (WPT) to create a single global professional padel tour – called Premier Padel – governed by FIP. From 2025, Premier Padel includes 24 tournaments in 16 countries as the tour continues to grow the sport in new territories and in every dimension. As a global brand, Premier Padel also captures the dynamic essence and spirit of padel, with the sport embarking on an exciting new dawn on a global scale driven by the new unified global tour. About Hexagon Cup Hexagon Cup is an event that has revolutionised padel worldwide. Under the slogan 'For the Fans. For the Players. For the Game', it offers a unique sporting and entertainment experience on a par with the world's greatest sporting events., After the great success of 2024, the Alpine Hexagon Cup 2025 celebrated its second edition at the Madrid Arena, exceeding all expectations and breaking attendance and follower records. The tournament presents an innovative format with eight teams in which the best professional players in the world, divided into male, female and Next Gen categories, joined forces to compete in teams led by renowned stars including, Sergio 'Kun' Agüero, Leo Messi, Taktika Padel group led by Gabriel Pérez & Edu Conde (Krü Padel by Taktika); Eva Longoria, Pepe Bastón & Dani Homedes from Dara Sport (ElevenEleven); the Rafa Nadal Academy (Rafa Nadal Academy Team powered by Richard Mille); Pierre Gasly & Loïc Féry (10 Padel); Andy Murray, Anthony Joshua, Arran Yentob & Dani Vallverdu from AD Global Sports (AD/vantage); Robert Lewandowski (RL9 Team); María Esteve & Carlos Lopez-Lay (Team Bella Puerto Rico) and Hexagon Cup FANS (Hexagon Team). About International Padel Federation The International Padel Federation (FIP) is the world governing body of Padel, whose mission is to: foster the growth and development of Padel at all levels and ages, from grassroots to professional; to govern the sport by affiliating national member federations and regional associations (it now counts with 87 affiliated National Federations from all five continents) and to make Padel become an Olympic sport and be part of the Olympic Games, the highest honour for any sport. FIP manages an international calendar comprising its two circuits (Premier Padel & Cupra FIP Tour), as well as its team competitions (World Championships and continental events) for young and senior players. Starting from January 2024, FIP also governs a single official unified international ranking for professional male and female players, counting the tournament points achieved in its two circuits: Premier Padel and Cupra FIP Tour.
Associated Press
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
From FITUR to the Padel Court: Puerto Rico Shines at the Hexagon Cup in Madrid
'This is more than just a tournament; this is an opportunity for Puerto Rico to stand out on an international stage and show that we belong in professional padel.' — Carlos López Lay MADRID, SPAIN, January 29, 2025 / / -- The deep historical and cultural ties between Puerto Rico and Spain are expanding beyond history and culture—now, they extend onto the padel courts. After a spectacular showcase at FITUR, Puerto Rico is once again making its mark in Spain, this time at the Hexagon Cup in Madrid, where Team Bella Puerto Rico, the Island's first and only professional padel team, is competing for the second consecutive year. Team Bella Puerto Rico, owned by Carlos López-Lay and María Esteve, is proudly representing the Island in this prestigious international tournament. The team is making history by competing at this elite level, further positioning Puerto Rico as a rising force in the global padel scene. 'This is more than just a tournament; this is an opportunity for Puerto Rico to stand out on an international stage and show that we belong in professional padel. Our commitment to this sport is proof that Puerto Rico is ready to make its mark in the padel world,' expressed Carlos López-Lay, owner of Team Bella Puerto Rico. Beyond the competition, Puerto Rican pride is shining bright in Madrid, thanks to an impressive delegation of Boricua ambassadors supporting the team. Among them is former Miss Universe and global star Dayanara Torres, along with TV host and model Jaime Mayol and influencer Gabriela Short. They are also joined by actor and producer Julián Gil, further amplifying Puerto Rico's visibility and ensuring that the Island's energy and passion are felt throughout Spain. 'Seeing Puerto Rico represented at an event of this magnitude is inspiring. Padel is growing rapidly on the Island, and Team Bella Puerto Rico is leading the way. Being here, cheering them on, and seeing our flag waving in Madrid fills me with pride,' shared Dayanara Torres. Adding to the momentum, Whatever Puerto Rico, one of the Island's leading social platforms focused on promoting Puerto Rico as a premier tourism destination, is also in Madrid supporting Team Bella Puerto Rico. During the Hexagon Cup, Whatever Puerto Rico will be sharing daily content, behind-the-scenes moments, and exclusive event recaps, further expanding Puerto Rico's presence in Spain. 'This opportunity allows us to leverage the promotional efforts made by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and Discover Puerto Rico during FITUR and give them continuity, amplifying Puerto Rico's visibility in the Spanish market,' said Jean Paul Polo, Chief Creative Officer of Whatever Puerto Rico. 'There is strength in unity, and by combining sports and tourism, we are showing that Puerto Rico is much more than beaches—we are positioning the Island as a dynamic, world-class destination with a presence in high-level global events.' The Hexagon Cup, one of the world's most prestigious padel tournaments, brings together elite teams and top-tier talent, providing a high-performance competition platform with global recognition. With Puerto Rico's continued presence at this event, the Island is not only making strides in the sports world but also reinforcing its strong ties with Spain in a dynamic and modern way. From the global tourism spotlight at FITUR to the excitement of the Hexagon Cup courts, Puerto Rico is making waves across Spain. The Hexagon Cup is taking place at Madrid Arena from January 29 to February 2, 2025, and matches will be streamed live on Telemundo Puerto Rico's digital platform and Punto 2. To check match schedules and live broadcasts, visit or follow updates on social media at @ and @WhateverPuertoRico. About Team Bella Puerto Rico Bella Puerto Rico is the island's first and only professional padel team, owned by Carlos López-Lay and representing Puerto Rico on an international scale. Competing in the Hexagon Cup in Madrid, Bella Puerto Rico is dedicated to elevating the sport of padel on the island and showcasing Puerto Rican talent on the world stage. About Whatever Puerto Rico Whatever Puerto Rico is a digital platform dedicated to showcasing the best of Puerto Rican music, culture, gastronomy, sports, natural wonders, and adventure. Through engaging content and a strong social media presence, Whatever Puerto Rico aims to be the go-to source for anyone interested in the rich and diverse stories of Puerto Rico. Xiomara Rodriguez
